Succulents and More™

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you've probably come across the name Nick Deinhart . Nick is one of the best agave and aloe growers I know, and he's made countless cool hybrids — I'm lucky to have some in my garden right now. And I'm even luckier to count Nick as a friend. The following is an article I wrote for the Cactus and Succulent Journal, published quarterly by the Cactus and Succulent Society of America . It appeared in their Summer 2026 issue  (Vol. 98-2). It's a long piece, about 2,600 words, and it goes into a lot of geeky detail, but ultimately it's a story of dedication, determination, and dogged pursuit to follow the path you've set for yourself. Nick has been doing amazing work in aloe hybridization, mostly for himself and without seeking attention. But I think it's high time for him to get some of the recognition he so richly deserves. Grower’s Spotlight: Nick Deinhart Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 98-2 (Summer...

A new month, a new This and that post. Yep, it’s September, folks! Where has the year gone? CACTUS OBSERVATIONS Not a lot of cactus flowers at this time of year, but there are still some: Dudleya pulverulenta (I’m happy that I’ve managed to keep it looking so good) next to  Echinopsis ‘Sleeping Beauty’. Sometimes a side view of a cactus flower is as pretty as the top-down view. Echinopsis ‘Sex on the Beach’ Ferocactus herrerae . I love everything about this barrel cactus... ...but I’m worried gravity might win out in the end even though there is a large rock propping it up Closeup of Opuntia cochenillifera ‘Sunburst’ Here’s the entire plant. I started with one pad a friend had given me. FLUSHING COONTIE My coontie is flushing. I’ve been wanting to say this for a long time. Unless you’re from Florida you probably have no clue what that means. The coontie ( Zamia integrifolia ) is a small cycad native to Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. Like virtually all cycads, it’s a v...